I went to FNM last friday at Gotham Comics in Westminster, MD.
In a departure from the norm, they did a Legacy event.
I took the only Legacy deck I own, Maverick.
We played 4 rounds.
Round 1: Rob Eggert with B/W Stoneblade
In game one I got the jump on Rob with an early Knight of the Reliquary. He had to mulligan fairly low (5 or so). In game two Rob got out an early Batterskull with Stoneforge Mystic. I was finally able to stabilize when I cast a Green Sun's Zenith for 5 and grabbing Sigarda (who I had sideboarded in). I put a Jitte on her and started swinging to gain life and remove Lingering Souls tokens.
(2-0)
Round 2: Jimmy Cannon with Affinity.
Holy shit affinity! Maverick (at least when piloted by me) seems very vulnerable to fast, aggressive decks. Jimmy stomped me with Cranial Plating in two games. I tried to remove attacking Ornithopters with Maze of Ith, but Cranial Plating can be equipped as an instant...
(0-2)
Round 3: Scott with Goblins
With a good draw, I was able to steal a game from Scott, but for the most part, he rolled over me with Krenko and the boys. I really need to find an answer to Goblins; they really seem to have my number. (unless they get a bad draw)
(1-2)
Round 4: Mike Morgan with Hypergenesis
Combo time! Hypergenesis is a deck I can beat as long as I can get a functional Knight of the Reliquary going and fetch Karakas to bounce the Legends that Hypergenesis puts into play. In game one, I won the race with a Forest-to-Green Sun for Arbor Dryad draw.
In game two I was too slow and got beat down.
Game three was a lot closer. I believe we both Mulliganed ot six. Mike cast a shardless agent to cascade into Hypergenesis and then laid out Griselbrand and then Omniscience. I dropped a Wasteland and a Qasali Pridemage. I had a tapped Knight in play, a few lands (including an untapped Maze of Ith), two pridemages, and a couple of Hierarchs/Oozes/Moms. I have one card in hand, a card from my sideboard.
Mike casts Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, for free, with Omniscience. I reveal Mindbreak Trap and exile Emrakul, effectively countering him. Mike ends his turn and takes his extra one. His draws nothing of significance. Griselbrand attacks and is removed from combat by Maze of Ith. He ends his turn, I give my Knight Protection from Black with Mom (Mother of Runes) and swing for the win.
(2-1)
So, I continue to perform poorly in Legacy, but in my defense, the format is quite difficult and diverse. There are a lot of good decks. In the end I went 2-0, 0-2, 1-2, 2-1 for a total of 5-5, or a 50% win percentage.
Until next time.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Casual Beats
On Wednesday (9/12/12) I went to Xanadu Games in Baltimore, MD because I heard that they had an unsanctioned, proxies-allowed, Legacy event.
I did not know what time the event began so I got there early. I got in two practice games of Legacy (0-2), two practice games of Standard (2-0), and two practice games of 1v1 EDH (2-0).
In Legacy practice, I faced a Pod deck that used a lot of core Maverick cards, but was able to pod to infinity with Kiki-Jiki. So, I did not win these games.
In Standard, I faced a mono-white Trading Post deck with Sun Titan, Wurmcoil Engine, and Elesh Norn as kill-cards. In one game, I took two Day of Judgments and a Terminus to the face, in another, I took two Terminus and one Day of Judgment, lol. Because my deck is so creature heavy, I was able to fight through three (or more) wrath effects per game and come out ahead.
In EDH I played against an Child of Alara (5-color) creatureless (except for Child of Alara) control deck.
(Same opponent I played against in Standard)
In game one, he could not really get going and I got out Grave Titan and Frost Titan; then I cast Rite of Replication with kicker to seal the deal.
In game two, I was able to Counterspell his Genesis Wave (x = 13), I had a Frost Titan, Crosis, the Purger, Sheoldred, Whispering one, and Nicol Bolas (Elder Dragon Legend) in play but he had a Solitary Confinement out. I drew into Capsize and finally ended it.
Onto the event, which started at 7:30ish. This tournament allowed unlimited proxies. I did not realize that this meant that you could take a stack of 60 commons, write a card name on the back (not the front) in sharpie and play unsleeved so that your deck looks like face-up commons. (luckily only one person did this, my first opponent)
Round 1: Matt with Ramp.
This deck was unfamiliar to me and he may have just made it up. It involved a Maverick core of Knight of the Reliquary, Noble Hierarch, and Green Sun's Zenith. What he did was Ramp up to Cast Primeval Titan who would then fetch Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. He would then crack fetch lands and use Primeval Titans land fetch to get mountains once he had 4 Valakuts in play and kill me. Our games one and two were blowouts. Our game three saw him drop a second Primeval Titan and Valakut me out while he was at one life. (1-2)
Round 2: Keith with Seismic Assault/Land Tax control.
Keith played a deck that relied on Seismic Assault coupled with multiples of Land Tax and Tithe. He filled the rest out with control cards and a copy of Thrun, the Last Troll.
In game one he got a mana screw and I beat him down with Knight. I did not sideboard for game two because I had no idea what he was playing. In game two he got out multiple Land Taxes and killed me with Seismic Assault. In game three I sided in some things and got out an early Batterskull. I did make some mistakes in this (as casting a Knight of the Reliquary into a Counterbalance when I knew a CMC 3 cards was on top of his library) I got to a big life lead before he stabilized with Thrun and Krosan Grip on my Batterskull. We went to time and drew out on turns. (1-1-1)
Round 3: Bill with UB Control.
I won game one by virtue of a turn 1 Green Sun's Zenith for Dryad Arbor, turn 2 Knight and turn 3 Umezwas Jitte. In game two he got control with a lot of discard and removal before finally killing me with Jace, the Mind Sculptor. In game three I was unable to weather early discard cards that removed key pieces and all of my Green Sun's Zeniths were countered. Jace and Liliana came out and decimated my hand and my draws. Jace's ultimate finally killed me.
So, in the end I went 1-2, 1-1-1, 1-2. I enjoyed the practice and was definitely outplayed as the only games I won seemed to be when I got a good draw and my opponents got a bad draw. There were many times when I thought to myself, "I have nothing in my deck to get me out of this particular situation". I also felt that my opponents had all the answers to play against me (or more specifically, Maverick). Is this a "popular deck gets hated and people know how to beat it" thing? Time will tell.
Until next time.
I did not know what time the event began so I got there early. I got in two practice games of Legacy (0-2), two practice games of Standard (2-0), and two practice games of 1v1 EDH (2-0).
In Legacy practice, I faced a Pod deck that used a lot of core Maverick cards, but was able to pod to infinity with Kiki-Jiki. So, I did not win these games.
In Standard, I faced a mono-white Trading Post deck with Sun Titan, Wurmcoil Engine, and Elesh Norn as kill-cards. In one game, I took two Day of Judgments and a Terminus to the face, in another, I took two Terminus and one Day of Judgment, lol. Because my deck is so creature heavy, I was able to fight through three (or more) wrath effects per game and come out ahead.
In EDH I played against an Child of Alara (5-color) creatureless (except for Child of Alara) control deck.
(Same opponent I played against in Standard)
In game one, he could not really get going and I got out Grave Titan and Frost Titan; then I cast Rite of Replication with kicker to seal the deal.
In game two, I was able to Counterspell his Genesis Wave (x = 13), I had a Frost Titan, Crosis, the Purger, Sheoldred, Whispering one, and Nicol Bolas (Elder Dragon Legend) in play but he had a Solitary Confinement out. I drew into Capsize and finally ended it.
Onto the event, which started at 7:30ish. This tournament allowed unlimited proxies. I did not realize that this meant that you could take a stack of 60 commons, write a card name on the back (not the front) in sharpie and play unsleeved so that your deck looks like face-up commons. (luckily only one person did this, my first opponent)
Round 1: Matt with Ramp.
This deck was unfamiliar to me and he may have just made it up. It involved a Maverick core of Knight of the Reliquary, Noble Hierarch, and Green Sun's Zenith. What he did was Ramp up to Cast Primeval Titan who would then fetch Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. He would then crack fetch lands and use Primeval Titans land fetch to get mountains once he had 4 Valakuts in play and kill me. Our games one and two were blowouts. Our game three saw him drop a second Primeval Titan and Valakut me out while he was at one life. (1-2)
Round 2: Keith with Seismic Assault/Land Tax control.
Keith played a deck that relied on Seismic Assault coupled with multiples of Land Tax and Tithe. He filled the rest out with control cards and a copy of Thrun, the Last Troll.
In game one he got a mana screw and I beat him down with Knight. I did not sideboard for game two because I had no idea what he was playing. In game two he got out multiple Land Taxes and killed me with Seismic Assault. In game three I sided in some things and got out an early Batterskull. I did make some mistakes in this (as casting a Knight of the Reliquary into a Counterbalance when I knew a CMC 3 cards was on top of his library) I got to a big life lead before he stabilized with Thrun and Krosan Grip on my Batterskull. We went to time and drew out on turns. (1-1-1)
Round 3: Bill with UB Control.
I won game one by virtue of a turn 1 Green Sun's Zenith for Dryad Arbor, turn 2 Knight and turn 3 Umezwas Jitte. In game two he got control with a lot of discard and removal before finally killing me with Jace, the Mind Sculptor. In game three I was unable to weather early discard cards that removed key pieces and all of my Green Sun's Zeniths were countered. Jace and Liliana came out and decimated my hand and my draws. Jace's ultimate finally killed me.
So, in the end I went 1-2, 1-1-1, 1-2. I enjoyed the practice and was definitely outplayed as the only games I won seemed to be when I got a good draw and my opponents got a bad draw. There were many times when I thought to myself, "I have nothing in my deck to get me out of this particular situation". I also felt that my opponents had all the answers to play against me (or more specifically, Maverick). Is this a "popular deck gets hated and people know how to beat it" thing? Time will tell.
Until next time.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
9/8/12 Legacy Tournament
I went to a Legacy tournament at Xanadu games in Baltimore MD.
I took Maverick, outlined below. (I made some changes to the deck and sideboard)
Maindeck
4 Mother of Runes
4 Noble Hierarch
1 Gaddock Teeg
3 Qasali Pridemage
3 Scavenging Ooze
1 Scryb Ranger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Path to Exile
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sylvan Library
2 Garruk Relentless
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Dryad Arbor
3 Forest
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Karakas
1 Maze of Ith
3 Plains
4 Savannah
4 Wasteland
4 Windswept Heath
Sideboard
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Homeward Path (For some reason I was afraid of Gilded Drake)
1 Path to Exile
4 Surgical Extraction (For Dredge)
1 Gaddock Teeg
2 Krosan Grip
4 Mindbreak Trap (I was deathly afraid of Belcher and Storm)
1 Tree of Redemption (trying it out against Red)
Round 1: Frank with UW Miracles
Game one began with Frank drawing very poorly in his opening hand. I easily won game 1 only seeing a plains and a swords to plowshares. I did not side in against him game two, because I still did not know what he was playing.
In game two Frank got the Counterbalance/Sensei's Diving Top combo going. I actually died to a Jace, the Mind Sculptor ultimate.
In game three, I sided in two Krosan Grips and my second Gaddock Teeg, I got lucky and drew a Cavern of Souls, so I was able to get around Counter/Top. The dagger came when I Krosan Gripped an Engineered explosives that had two counters on it, allowing my Sylvan Library to survive.
(2-1)
Round 2: Brian (Bryan?) with Goblins.
I had not yet played against Goblins in Legacy. The Goblins came out quick and 3 Gempalm Incinerators made short work of my blockers. Goblin Piledriver crushed me.
In game two, my opponent had sided in Perish. He cast it on turn 4 or 5 and I never recovered.
I really need to find a sideboard answer to Red.
(0-2)
Round 3: Chris with Artifacts (this deck may have a well-known name, but I do not know it)
In game one Chris did not really get anything going. I rolled over him with a big Knight of the Reliquary.
In game two Chris set off an infinite combo with Staff of Domination and Metalworker; he drew most of his library and killed me with a Lightning Greaves-equipped Blightsteel Colossus.
In game three I was able to kill his Sensei's Diving Tops and Exile them with Surgical Extraction. Unfortunately for me, Steel Hellkite rolled in and busted up all of my permanents.
(1-2)
Round 4: Chris with Dredge
In game one Chris got out to a big start, but I overpowered him with two 8/8 Knights. I sided in 4 Surgical Extractions, my other Gaddock Teeg, and a Bojuka Bog against him.
Chris took game two as I was trying to draw my sideboard hate.
In game three, I made a terrible misplay. I was on the play and dropped a turn two Scavenging ooze. On my turn 3, I cast a Knight of the Reliquary. I was so focused on getting Bojuka Bog in play next turn that I did not see that keeping mana open for Scavening ooze was a better play. Chris dredged and got two Narcomoebas. If I had left my mana open, I could have exiled them in response to their triggers. Elesh Norn came into play that turn and killed all of my creatures. I never recovered.
(1-2)
Round 5: Bye
Ugh, I guess most people dropped so I was given a bye in Round 5, definitely not what I wanted. I am trying to get better at Legacy, so I need to play Legacy. Oh well.
I end up going 2-1, 0-2, 1-2, 1-2, bye. Pretty awful, but I am new to the format and do not expect to stomp through people in my first two tournaments. I compiled a list of things that I think are important coming out of Saturdays tournament.
I took Maverick, outlined below. (I made some changes to the deck and sideboard)
Maindeck
4 Mother of Runes
4 Noble Hierarch
1 Gaddock Teeg
3 Qasali Pridemage
3 Scavenging Ooze
1 Scryb Ranger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Path to Exile
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sylvan Library
2 Garruk Relentless
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Dryad Arbor
3 Forest
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Karakas
1 Maze of Ith
3 Plains
4 Savannah
4 Wasteland
4 Windswept Heath
Sideboard
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Homeward Path (For some reason I was afraid of Gilded Drake)
1 Path to Exile
4 Surgical Extraction (For Dredge)
1 Gaddock Teeg
2 Krosan Grip
4 Mindbreak Trap (I was deathly afraid of Belcher and Storm)
1 Tree of Redemption (trying it out against Red)
Round 1: Frank with UW Miracles
Game one began with Frank drawing very poorly in his opening hand. I easily won game 1 only seeing a plains and a swords to plowshares. I did not side in against him game two, because I still did not know what he was playing.
In game two Frank got the Counterbalance/Sensei's Diving Top combo going. I actually died to a Jace, the Mind Sculptor ultimate.
In game three, I sided in two Krosan Grips and my second Gaddock Teeg, I got lucky and drew a Cavern of Souls, so I was able to get around Counter/Top. The dagger came when I Krosan Gripped an Engineered explosives that had two counters on it, allowing my Sylvan Library to survive.
(2-1)
Round 2: Brian (Bryan?) with Goblins.
I had not yet played against Goblins in Legacy. The Goblins came out quick and 3 Gempalm Incinerators made short work of my blockers. Goblin Piledriver crushed me.
In game two, my opponent had sided in Perish. He cast it on turn 4 or 5 and I never recovered.
I really need to find a sideboard answer to Red.
(0-2)
Round 3: Chris with Artifacts (this deck may have a well-known name, but I do not know it)
In game one Chris did not really get anything going. I rolled over him with a big Knight of the Reliquary.
In game two Chris set off an infinite combo with Staff of Domination and Metalworker; he drew most of his library and killed me with a Lightning Greaves-equipped Blightsteel Colossus.
In game three I was able to kill his Sensei's Diving Tops and Exile them with Surgical Extraction. Unfortunately for me, Steel Hellkite rolled in and busted up all of my permanents.
(1-2)
Round 4: Chris with Dredge
In game one Chris got out to a big start, but I overpowered him with two 8/8 Knights. I sided in 4 Surgical Extractions, my other Gaddock Teeg, and a Bojuka Bog against him.
Chris took game two as I was trying to draw my sideboard hate.
In game three, I made a terrible misplay. I was on the play and dropped a turn two Scavenging ooze. On my turn 3, I cast a Knight of the Reliquary. I was so focused on getting Bojuka Bog in play next turn that I did not see that keeping mana open for Scavening ooze was a better play. Chris dredged and got two Narcomoebas. If I had left my mana open, I could have exiled them in response to their triggers. Elesh Norn came into play that turn and killed all of my creatures. I never recovered.
(1-2)
Round 5: Bye
Ugh, I guess most people dropped so I was given a bye in Round 5, definitely not what I wanted. I am trying to get better at Legacy, so I need to play Legacy. Oh well.
I end up going 2-1, 0-2, 1-2, 1-2, bye. Pretty awful, but I am new to the format and do not expect to stomp through people in my first two tournaments. I compiled a list of things that I think are important coming out of Saturdays tournament.
- I never once cast Garruk Relentless, although I had him in my hand several times. I think I am going to put one in the sideboard, that way I can switch him and Gaddock Teeg in and out.
- I did not play against Belcher or Storm. My 4 Mindbreak traps were pretty useless. Apparently at bigger tournaments, Belcher and Storm are not as popular because Force of Will destroys them.
- I need a sideboard answer to Red.
- I should put in at least one Creeping Corrosion for Artifacts. (It would help against Counter/Top as well)
- I do not think I need the Surgical Extractions. I feel that if I play better, my deck can do well against Dredge.
- I am going to remove Tree of Redemption. It is too slow
- I am going to remove homeward path, I have never had a use for it. I am going to put in another Bojuka Bog.
- I really am enjoying playing Legacy. It seems like it draws out one or two goofy decks per tournament.
Monday, September 10, 2012
FNM 9/7/12 (Standard)
Went to FNM on September 7th at Gotham Comics in Westminster, MD.
I bring the one and only Naya Midrange (same deck as always in Standard)
Round 1: Steve with Budget Green/White Undying.
Steve starts out pretty strong with Strangleroot Geist and Young Wolf. Sadly, he burnt all of the gas out of his hand and I was able to get Thragtusk, Huntmaster, and Inferno Titan going to beat him in game one.
In game two, I played a turn 1 Grafdigger's cage. He was not able to remove it until it had already claimed two Strangleroot Geists and a Young Wolf.
(2-0)
Round 2: Chris with UW Delver.
Chris played a delver turn one and blind flipped it on his two showing mana leak, on to game 2.
In game two I had to mulligan kind of low. Chris played and blind flipped two delvers by turn 4. I got 3 lands the entire game, rout on!
(0-2)
Round 3: Mike Morgan with a UW Delver deck he borrowed.
I got mad control in game one but got smashed in game two.
In game three I got Sigarda going, who easily controlled the board thanks to hexproof. Mike did a TON of digging in this game (probably for Phantasmal Image), but was unable to deal with Sigarda.
(2-1)
Round 4: David with GR Werewolves
Lots of Mayors of Avabruck, Full Moons Rise, and cheap Werewolves. In game one, David came out swinging, emptied his hand pretty quickly, but could not draw a finisher before I was able to take control of the game. It helped that I played a spell every turn and was able to keep his wolves from flipping.
In game two David got a bit of a mana screw in color. Thundermaw Hellkite asserted himself in spectacular fashion.
(2-0)
So, I went 3-1(2-0, 0-2, 2-1, 2-0) with my only loss to a 3-0-1 finisher (the top two drew round 4).
Sadly, I was unable to place third (I got fourth) and missed out on the foil alternate-art Lingering Souls.
However, a good evening overall.
Until next time.
I bring the one and only Naya Midrange (same deck as always in Standard)
Round 1: Steve with Budget Green/White Undying.
Steve starts out pretty strong with Strangleroot Geist and Young Wolf. Sadly, he burnt all of the gas out of his hand and I was able to get Thragtusk, Huntmaster, and Inferno Titan going to beat him in game one.
In game two, I played a turn 1 Grafdigger's cage. He was not able to remove it until it had already claimed two Strangleroot Geists and a Young Wolf.
(2-0)
Round 2: Chris with UW Delver.
Chris played a delver turn one and blind flipped it on his two showing mana leak, on to game 2.
In game two I had to mulligan kind of low. Chris played and blind flipped two delvers by turn 4. I got 3 lands the entire game, rout on!
(0-2)
Round 3: Mike Morgan with a UW Delver deck he borrowed.
I got mad control in game one but got smashed in game two.
In game three I got Sigarda going, who easily controlled the board thanks to hexproof. Mike did a TON of digging in this game (probably for Phantasmal Image), but was unable to deal with Sigarda.
(2-1)
Round 4: David with GR Werewolves
Lots of Mayors of Avabruck, Full Moons Rise, and cheap Werewolves. In game one, David came out swinging, emptied his hand pretty quickly, but could not draw a finisher before I was able to take control of the game. It helped that I played a spell every turn and was able to keep his wolves from flipping.
In game two David got a bit of a mana screw in color. Thundermaw Hellkite asserted himself in spectacular fashion.
(2-0)
So, I went 3-1(2-0, 0-2, 2-1, 2-0) with my only loss to a 3-0-1 finisher (the top two drew round 4).
Sadly, I was unable to place third (I got fourth) and missed out on the foil alternate-art Lingering Souls.
However, a good evening overall.
Until next time.
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